Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
John Arntz, Director
For Immediate Release
SAN FRANCISCO, Tuesday, February 13, 2024 – To provide every local voter with an opportunity to cast their ballot privately and independently, the Department of Elections provides many accessible voting resources. As in every election, accessible voting tools and services are available both to voters who cast their ballots by mail and those who prefer to vote in person.
“The Department is committed to ensuring that every local voter can continue to engage in the voting process with independence and ease,” said Director John Arntz. “To that end, we meet regularly with our Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee to discuss new ways to improve and expand access to voting services and tools for all San Francisco voters. For many years, we have also partnered with our colleagues at the Mayor’s Office on Disability and Disability Rights California to design and advertise the use of accessible voting resources.”
All of the following accessible voting resources are available to San Francisco voters during the March 5, 2024, Consolidated Presidential Primary Election voting period (February 5 – March 5).
Accessible Voter Information Pamphlet
The Voter Information Pamphlet (VIP) is available in several formats at sfelections.org/vip, including PDF, HTML, and MP3. Voters can also contact the Department of Elections to request the VIP in large-print, audio on flash drive, compact disc, or National Library Service cartridge.
Accessible Website
Members of the public can utilize any of several accessibility features, including screen-reader compatibility, high contrast and adjustable font size, and Alt text for images, on the Department’s website, at sfelections.org.
Accessible Vote-By-Mail System
Any local voter may use the accessible vote-by-mail (AVBM) system, by logging in at sfelections.org/access. The AVBM system allows the voter to access and mark their ballot with a screen-reader or a personal assistive device, such as a head-pointer or sip and puff. For security, after marking their ballot, the voter must print and return it by mail or in person. To return their AVBM ballot, voters may use the postage-paid ballot return envelope sent to them.
San Francisco’s ballot return envelopes have punch holes to help visually impaired voter tactilely identify the envelope’s signature section. Voters who are unable to sign their envelope may instead use registered signature stamp or witnessed mark to “sign” their ballot return envelope.
Accessible Voting Site Resources
Any local voter can find information about their assigned polling place, including the slope of its entryway, on the back cover of their Voter Information Pamphlet or by visiting sfelections.org/pollingplace. In addition, a directional sign will be posted at every polling place to help direct voters to the accessible entrance.
All San Francisco voting sites offer page magnifiers, signature guides, pen grips, seated voting, and remote American Sign Language interpretation. Multilingual materials are also available at all voting locations.
Every in-person voting site offers a ballot-marking device. These devices allow any voter to navigate through their ballot using a touchscreen tablet (with options to change text size and color), or one of several assistive devices, including a braille-embossed keypad, headphones, and/or personal assistive device.
Voting Site Personal Assistance
All elections workers and volunteers are trained to offer assistance to every voter. They may assist by reading the ballot to a voter and/or helping them mark their choices. Any voter may also bring up to two people to help them, other than agents of their employer or union. (Under no conditions may anyone vote on behalf of another person.)
Any San Francisco voter may request curbside service at any voting site by calling (415) 554-4375 or asking a companion to make this request inside on their behalf. Voters who choose to vote curbside can use any official ballot format.
Emergency Ballot Delivery
Any San Francisco resident who is hospitalized or otherwise unable to travel to the polls in the last week of the voting period can request emergency ballot delivery and/or pickup by calling the Department of Elections at (415) 554-4375 or emailing ballotdelivery@sfgov.org. All Department of Elections staff involved in ballot deliveries are trained to respect voter privacy, uphold the right to cast a secret ballot, and offer translation assistance.
For information about the March 5 election, contact the Department at (415) 554-4375, write to sfvote@sfgov.org, or visit the Department’s office in City Hall, Room 48. People can also sign up to receive official news, updates, and public notices from the Department at sfelections.org/trustedinfo.
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Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
City Hall, Room 48
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 554-4375
TTY: (415) 554-4386
sfelections.org